Stocking.



M. E. BLESSING.

STOGKING.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.17, 1914.

Patented. sept.22,1914.

3.@N 7 um.

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-Adan-ganzi .Blessing MARGARET E. BLESSNG, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

sTocKrNe.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

' Application led January 17, 1914. Serial No. 812,689.

To all 'whom` it may concern e yBe it know'n that I, MARGARET E. Binissino, a citizen of the United States, residing at lliiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stockings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in stockings, the object of the invention being to provide a stocking with an improved protector which so reinforces the stocking atits point of attachment with the garter or hose supporter that the stocking is not injured by such connection. y

l-lose supporters such as commonly worn by women exert a considerable strain on the stocking, and as is common, the stocking is connected at its upper end to two or more clasps or supporting devices, so that the strains on the stocking are both longitudinal and lateral or transverse, hence the delicate fabric is easily injured and threads are drawn which disfigure the stocking and shorten its life.

It is the purpose of my invention to pro- `vide at the upper end of the stocking, a

protector which is secured to and forms a part of the stocking, and which sustains the strain of attachment to the hose supporters, at the same time said protector does not disfigure the stocking, nor interfere in any way with the ordinary use of the same.

lVith these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations andy arrangements of parts as will be more. fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims. i

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal sec. tion illustrating the upper end of a stocking provided with my improved protector. Fig. 2 is an exaggerated View in section on the line 2,2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view on a reduced scale illustrating the protectorin `its extended position with the elastic strip expanded as it is when sewed to the edge of the protector, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the protector in adifferent position.

1 represents an. ordinary` stocking having an inwardly turned hem 2 at its upper end.

My improved protector comprises a sheet?) preferably of chamois, kid, or other strong inelastic material having one edge preferably mclosed in a binding tape 4l, and secured to a strip 5 of elastic material. The elastic material 5 when` attac-hed to the Sheet 3 is extended or expanded somewhat and the line of stitching 6 connects the parts while the elastic is in this extended position, hence when released the elastic will wrinkle the sheet 3 as shown clearly in Fig. 1. While in this normal contracted position, the elastic strip 5 is' secured to the stockinff, preferably,

although' not essentially, located under they hem 2' and secured in place by a line. of stitching 7. By attaching the elastic strip to the inelastic sheet while the elastic strip is expanded or extended, a s ulicient fullness is provided in the sheet 3 to allow the same to be expanded longitudinally as the strip 5 is expanded due to the stretching of the stocking in manipulating the same on the users leg, so that the sto-cking may be drawn onto the leg just as readily as if it were not equipped with my improvements. At the same time, it must be understood that there is not intention of rendering the sheet 8 elastic, because it must be sufliciently strong and inelastic' to sustain the strain of attachment with the supporters. f

ln Fig. 4, I illustrate an inner rear view of one end of a supporter 8 connected to the stocking and showing the sheet 3 folded upwardly against the h em and the protector may be utilized in this position or in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which it hangs downwardly .from the hem.

lVhile I have shown butl a single sup` porter, itis common as above stated, to utilize at least two or more of such devices, and

. all of them engage the protector as well asA .the sheet -is of such a length as to permit a number of these devices to be connected and the stocking. The protector sustains the longitudinal and lateral strains of connec` tion with the supporter, and at the vsame time the elastic strip 5 permits the, stocking to expand and contract at its point of j uncture with the protector so that the ordinary elastic function of the stocking is not changed.

Various slight changes mightbe made in t-he general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my inven tion, and hence I do not limit myself to the 'precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alhaving a strip of elastic material secured thereto at one edge only and normally hold* ing lthe sheet wrinkled longitudinally, said elastic strip secured to the stocking between the fold and the body of the stocking, substantially as described.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a stocking, a sheet of inelastic material, a binding tape at one edge of said sheet, an elasticz strip secured to the tape and sheet while said strip is expanded, and said elastic strip secured to the stocking with said elastic strip in its contracted position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

MARGARET E. LESSING.

Vitnesses:

S. W. FOSTER, CHAS. E. Po'r'rs. 

